Machine for inking ribbons.



c. E. ARCHBALDQ MACHINE FOR INKING RIBBONS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 25, I9l6.

1 ,QUYfifi Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

WIN/E8858: lIVVE/VTOR C. E. ARCHBALD.

MACHINE FOR INKING RIBBONS.

APPLICATION FILED MARIZS, I916.

Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Immm;

70 6% W/WA "V I jld ATTORNEYS C E. ARCHBALD.

MACHINE FOR INKING RIBBONS.

AFPLICATIQN FILED MAKZI'J, I916- Patented Dec. 5, 1916.

4 SHEETSSHEET 4.

CHARLES E. ARGHBALD, 0F.N BRUNSWICK, NEW JERSEY.

MACHINE FOR INKING RIBBONS.

aoaaea.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 5, T915.

Application filed March 25, 1916. Serial No. 86,671.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. ARCH- BALD, a citizen of the Dominion ofCanada,

'and residing at New Brunswick, in the county of Middlesex and State ofNew filersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMachines for Inking Ribbons; and Ido hereby declare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification and tothe reference numerals marked thereon.

invention relates to a machine for inking ribbons andis particularlyadapted for impregnating or saturating multi-color ribbons fortypewriters.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide means for thoroughlyand uniformly applying inking materials of different colors uponopposite sides of a ribbon in such a way that the colors will not run ormix, although they are applied immediately adjacent each other upon theribbon.

A further object of the invention is to provide means whereby variouswidths and thicknesses of ribbon material may be successfully runthrough the machine and impregnated oicoated with a plurality of colorsupon adjacent surfaces of the ribbon fabric.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for preventing theflow of the inking material of one color into that of the other whilethe ribbon is being saturated.

Togthese and other ends the invention consists in certain improvementsand combinations of parts all as willbe hereinafter more fullydescribed, the novel features being pointed out in the claims at the endof the specification.

In the drawings, Figure 1' is a top plan.

view of a machine embodying one form of my invention; Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the machine; Fig. 3 is a sectional v1ew taken on line aa ofFig. 2; Fig. 4c is a sectional view taken on line b-b of Fig. 1; Fig. 5is an enlarged detail sectional view takenlongitudinally of the ribbonsupporting shaft shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken online cc of Fig. 1; Fig. 7 is an elevational view illustrating thesupport for the supply roll of ribbon and the adjustable means connectedtherewith for taking care of ribbons of different widths adapted to berun through the machine; Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation taken on lined-d of Fig. 1, and Fig. 9 is an enlarged detail sectional view throughone of the adjusting screws shown in Fig. 8. for regulating the heightof the partition dividing the lower roller into separate inking mediums.

Similar reference numerals throughout the several views indicate thesame parts.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 1 represents the base orbed of the machine which is supported by standards 2. Mounted upon thebed 1 at each side thereof are frames 3 slotted at 4 to receive theupper and lower roller supporting bearings 5 and 6 respectively asclearly shown in Fig. 4. J ournaled in the bearings 5 are the reducedends 7 and 8 of the shaft 9 which carries the top roller 10. Thebearings 5 are held against upward displacement by means of cross bars11 secured by bolts 12 and adapted to close the upper ends of theslotted frames 3 as shown in Fig. 8. In the bearings 6 are journaled thereduced ends 13 and 14: of the shaft 15 which carries the lower roller16 which comprises the spaced sections 17 and 18, the latter being shownpreferably integral with the shaft 15 while the former is adapted to bepositioned thereupon and held against turning by a key 19. Screwed uponthe threaded portion 19 of the shaft is a locking nut'2O for holding thesection 17 against longitudinal movement. The roller sections 17 and 18are provided with annular grooves 21 and 22 respectively on their innerfaces which are adapted to receive the rings or washers of felt or otheryieldable material 23 as shown in Fig. 4:. Between the sections 17 and18 of the lower roller and the felt washers 23 is placed a partition 24,the purpose of which will be hereinafter explained.

Mounted upon one corner of the bed of the machine is an upri ht support25 secured to "the bed by suita le bolts 26. Upon the frame 3nearest tothe support 25 is bolted or otherwise secured an arm 260 in which is'journaled at 27 one end of a shaft 28, the opposite end of which isjournaled in the top of the support 25. Secured upon the shaft 28 is agear 29 adapted to'mesh with a gear 30 on the end 7 of the shaft 9 whichcarries the upper roller 10 and also a fly wheel 31. The gear 30 alsomeshes with a gear 32 on the end 13 of the shaft 15 which carries thelower roller 16. The shaft 28 is provided with an'idler 33 and a pulleyare 34 adapted to be driven by a; belt, (not shown) for operating thegear 29 to actuate the gears 30 and 32 for driving the rollers: 10 and16 respectively. A belt shifter 34 is slidably mounted in a bearing 35on the arm 26 for shifting the belt upon the pulley and the idler. Onthe outer end of the arm 26 isa bearing 36 in which is journaled a shaft37 carrying a pulley 38 upon which a belt 39 is mounted, the belt beingdriven preferably by a pulley 40 mounted upon the shaft 28. The shaft 37carries a spool 41 upon which the ribbon 42 is adapted to be wound as itis fed between the rollers 10 and 16 from the supply roll 43, which isrotatably mounted upon a removable pin 44 carried by the uprightsupports 45 slidably mounted on a shaft 46 supported by suitablebrackets 47 seated on the bed or base 1. In order that supply rolls ofdifferent widths may be used to carry various widths of ribbon materialthe supports 45 are slidably mounted upon the shaft 46, the lower ends48 and 49 of the supports each having threaded engagement withoppositely threaded portions 50 and 51 respectively of,

a shaft 52 rotatably mounted upon the brackets 47, one end in a bearing53 and the other in a sleeve 54 slidably mounted in a bearing on theopposite bracket 47 as shown in Fig. 7. A hand wheel 55 is provided forrotating the shaft 52 to cause the oppositely threaded portions 50 and51 of the shaft to move the supports 45 either toward or away fromeachother as may be desired according to the width of the supply roll43. As the ribbon 42 is adapted upon leaving the roll 43 to pass behindand engage the rotatably mounted shaft 46, guides for the ribbon at thispoint, are provided in the form of circular projections 56 extendinginwardly of the supports 45 as shown in Fig.

7. The end of the shaft 52 opposite the hand wheel 55 is rotatablymounted in the sleeve 54 and extends therefrom into rota tableengagement with an arm 57 and is provided with a groove 58 into whichprojects one end of a screw 59 seated in the arm 57 whereby the arm 57is secured in rotatable engagement with the shaft 52. The lower end ofthe arm 57 carries a hand wheel 60 having an extension 61 in threadedengagement with one of the brackets 47, a collar 62 being mounted uponthe extension to maintain the latter in proper position upon the arm. Byturning the hand wheel 60 the shaft 52 and the supports 45 thereon maybe moved bodilv in either direction to prop erly aline or adjust theribbon carrying supply roll 43 with respect to the partition 24 mountedbetween the sections 17 and 18 ofthe roller 16. A somewhat similarribbon adjusting means is mounted immediately in front of the rollers 10and 16 which comand adjustably prises a pair of arms 63 extendingforwardly from and secured upon the upper ends of the frames 3, as shownin Fig. 1. The arms 63 are adapted to rotatably support a shaft 64 oneend of which is threaded to receive a thumb nut 65 rotatably mounted andsecured in theforward end of one of the arms 63 and adapted to be turnedto move the shaft 64 transversely of the machine to properly aline oradjust the ribbon 42 with respect to the partition 24 and 'the rollers10 and 16. The shaft at the end opposite to that which receives thethumb nut 65 is reduced as shown at 66 in Fig. 5 and is provided at thispoint with a sleeve 67 tightlydriven upon the reduced portion andadapted to slide therewith in the arm 63 opposite the thumb nut 65 whenthe shaft 64 is moved in opposite directions by the thumb nut. Thesleeve 67 is split or slotted at 68 and a stud 69 carried by the arm 63engages the sleeve within the slotted portion 68" to prevent the turningof the shaft 64.

In order to provide means for receiving and guiding ribbons of variouswidths upon the shaft 64, I provide right and left hand carried by theframes 3. By turning the thumb nuts 70 the guides 73 may either be movedtoward or away from each other to accommodate ribbons of differentwidths, the guides being free to slide upon the roller 74. The spool 41on the shaft 37 is slidably mounted thereon and may be moved to line upwith the guides 73 and supply roll 43 when they have been properlyadjusted with respect to the partition 24 and rollers 10 and 16; Inplacing the ribbon in position upon the machine to be saturated orimpregnated with the inking or other material the ribbon supply roll 43is positioned between the supports 45 upon the pin 44, the free end ofthe ribbon being carried over the shaft 64 between the guides 73 andover the roller 74 down in front of and between the rollers 10 and 16and thence to the spool 41 to which it is secured and upon which it iswound when the machine is set in operation by shifting the belt from theidler to the driving pulley 34. Beneath the roller 16 is movably mounteda divided pan or tray 75 adapted in the present instance to hold inkingmaterials of two colors. the tray being divided by the adjustablepartition 24. upon opposite sides of which the roller sections 17 and 18revolve with their lower edges projecting into the inking materialplates 78 and prevent the transverse displacement of the pan. The sideplates 78 are provided with upwardly extending front and back arms 81and 82 respectively, which are adapted to support cross bars 83 and 84,which have their ends secured to the arms 81 and 82 preferably by meansof the screws 85. The pan is provided longitudinally thereof with. agrooved bar 86 extending along the bottom and up the end walls of thepan as shown in Figs. 4: and 8. The grooved bar 86 may be either castintegral with or otherwise secured in the pan. The partition 24 isadapted to fit snugly in the groove of the bar to prevent the mixing ofthe inking material in the opposite sides of the pan. The partition 24is made adjustable up and down in the groove by means of screws 87secured to the partition at 88 and extending through thumb nuts 89having reduced portions 90 extending through and rotatably mounted inthe cross bars 83 and 84 as shown in Figs. 8 and 9. The thumb nuts areheld against displacement by means of nuts 91 which are riveted upon theextension 90 at the bottom side of the cross bars 83 and 84. Thepartition 24 is thus made adjustable vertically with respect to theroller 10 and pan 75 sothat the distance between the top of thepartition and the underside of the roller 10 may be delicately adjustedto suit the different thicknesses of ribbon material that may be runthrough the machine and at the same time exert suliicient pressure uponthe ribbon on both sides of the axis of the rolls to prevent the flow ofthe ink from one side of the ribbon to the other as the sections of thelower roller carry the ink to the ribbon. The partition 24 is carriedupwardly a considerable distance in front of the roller 10 as indicatedat 92 and also slightly above the bottom of said roller in rear thereofas indicated at 93 in Fig. 8. This is done to overcome any tendency ofthe ink to flow or spread across from one of the bottom roller sectionsto the other at this point, as might be caused by capillary attractionor otherwise. The front ortion 92 of the partition is carried up higheron the roller 10 than the rear portion 93 and is intended also toprevent anv splashingof the liquid across fr m one of the lower rollersections to the other which might be caused by the tendency of therevolving roller to throw the ink upwardly on this side of the machine.The portion 93 is carried up in contact with the ribbon approximately tothe point where the ribbon begins to leave the lower surface of theroller 10 which is high enough to prevent any of the ink upon oppositesides of the partition from spreading or flowing across from one of theroller sec'tionsto the other at this point. The partition 24 is of verynarrow width and is preferably adjusted vertically with respect to thetop of the lower roller sections to such a degree as to extendthereabove a very limited amount whereby a slightly greater pressure isexerted upon the ribbon between the partition and the upper roller thanbetween the upper and inking roller. The result is that the ribbon uponleaving the rollers is thoroughly and uniformly saturated or impregnatedwith the two colors upon opposite sides of its center, the inkingmaterial being prevented by the partition from mixing upon the ribbon?By reason of the adjustability of the roller section 17 the colors maybe applied so close together that no uninked space will be visiblebetween them, or if desired, said roller sections may be adjusted tospace the colors apart sufiiciently to produce a visible uninked spacebetween them,

The bearings 5 of the upper roller 10 are preferably secured at the topof the frame members 3 by screws 94 extending through the cross bars 11into the bearings. The lower bearings 6 upon which the pan or tray 75 issuspended are movable up and down in the slottedframes and are supportedby rods 95 slidably mounted in the frames as shown in Fig. 4C. The rodsare threaded on their lower ends at 96 to extend through the short arm97 of a lever pivoted at 98 to a bracket 99 secured to the bottom of thebase or bed 1. The other arm 100 of the lever is provided with anextension 101 having a series of notches 102 which are adapted toreceive the looped end 'of a rod 103 carrying a weight 10-1- whichserves to force the lower roller 16 in position to compress and hold theribbon 42 in contact with the upperroller 10. The weight 104 may beadjusted upon the lever arm 101 to secure any pressure between the upperand lower rollers which may be found desirable, the shaft 15 at the sametime being supported in parallelism to the shaft 9. The rod 95.may alsobe adjusted upon the lever arm 97 by loosening the jam nut 105 andturning the handle 106 on the bottom of the rod. I

Pivotally mounted upon clamping screws 107 on the cross bar 84' areplates 108 which carry at their forward ends vertically disposedscrapers or guards 109 adapted to be positioned upon the end faces ofthe upper its pivot by means of a set screw 113 as shown in Fig. 2.

While I have shown one embodiment of my invention I do not wish to belimited to the detail construction of this mechanism as the same may bereadily modified without departing from the spirit of my invention,

1 nor do I'wish to limit myself to the use .of

the machine for applying compounds of only two colors to fabric materialor to the use of inking typewriter ribbons, as it will be understoodthat the machine is adaptable for use in connection with other classesof work.

I claim as my invention: I

1. In a ribbon inking machine, the combination with a tray for holdinginking materials of a plurality of colors, a pair of up per and lowerrollers the latter of which is divided and adapted to rotate within thetray and to supply inking material to adjacent surfaces of a ribbonadapted to be fed between the pair of rollers, means for operating therollers, and a dividing partition extending from the tray upwardlybetween the parts of the lower roller to their point of contact with theribbon to prevent the mix-. ing of the inking materials upon saidadjacent surfaces of the ribbon.

2. In a ribbon inking machine, the combination with means for holding aplurality of separated inking materials, of a pair of cooperatingrollers between which a ribbon is adapted to move, one of the rollerscomprising separated contiguous portions arranged to receive theseparate inking ma terials carried by said holding means and todischarge the same uponjcontiguous adja 'cent surfaces of the ribbon,means for actuating the rollers, and means operating between theportions of the divided roller for preventing the mixing of the inkingmaterials at the adjoining edges of said surfaces where they contactwith the ribbon.

1 3. Ina ribbon inking machine, the combination with means for'holding aplurality of separated inking materials, of cooperating rollers betweenwhich a ribbon is adapted to move, one of the rollers being arranged toreceive the separated inking materials carried by said holding means andto discharge the same upon adjacent surfaces of the ribbon, meansdividing the surface of the inking roller at its point of contact withthe ribbon to prevent the mixing of the inking materials at theadjoining edges of said surfaces of the ribbon and means foractuatingthe rollers.

4. In a ribbon inking machine, the combination with means for holding aplurality of separated inking materials, of cooperating rollers betweenwhich a ribbon is adapted to be moved, one of the rollers being arrangedto receive the inking materials carried by said holding means and todischarge the same upon adjacentsurfaces of the ribbon, means operatingon the ribbon between the inked surfaces thereon to press it against thenon-inking roller.

. 5. In a ribbon inking machine, the combination with means for holdinga plurality of separated inking materials, of cooperating rollersbetween which a ribbon is adapted to be moved, one of the rollers beingarranged to receive the inking materials carried by said holding meansand to discharge the same upon adjacent surfaces of the ribbon,adjustable means engaging the ribbon on a line coinciding with theadjoining edges of the inking material applied to the ribbon andpressing it against the non-inking roller, and means for actuating therollers.

6. In a ribbon inking machine, the combination with means for holding aplurality of separated inking materials, of cooperating rollers betweenwhich a ribbon is adapted to be moved, one of therollers being adaptedto receive the inking materials carried by said holding means and todischarge the same upon adjacent surfaces of the ribbon, a partitiondividing said last mentioned roller having a portion arranged contiguousto the non-inking roller and having a portion of its edge concentricwith the surface of said roller and serving to prevent the mixing of theinking materials applied to the ribbon bv the inking roller, and meansfor actuating the rollers.

7. In a ribbon inking machine, the combination with a pair of rollers,of a tray for holding inking material having a partition therein adaptedto divide the tray into separate inking compartments and to separate oneof the rollers into sections rotating in said compartments upon oppositesides of the partition and to discharge ink upon adjoining surfaces of aribbon arranged to be moved between the rollers upon opposite sides ofsaid partition, the edge of the partition lying at the point of contactof the inking roller on the ribbon and serving to prevent the mixing ofthe inking materials upon said adjoining surfaces and means foractuating the rollers.

8. In a ribbon inking machine, the combination with a pair of rollers,of a tray for holding inking material having a partition therein adaptedto divide the tray into separate inking compartments and to separate oneof the rollers into sections adapted to rotate in said compartments uponopposite sides of said partition, the partition serving to prevent themixing of the inking materials upon said adjoining surfaces, means foradjusting the partition rela-' .rolls and positioned to direct theribbon downwardly against the periphery of the pressing roll at a pointremoved from th point of contact of the inking roll, said guidingdevices comprising a support over which the ribbon passes and membersthereon engaging opposite sides of the ribbon which are adjustablelaterally to shift the ribbon.

10. In an inking machine the combination with an upper pressing roll anda lower inking roll cooperating therewith, and ribbon supply andrewinding arbors located at opposite sides of said rolls, of guidingdevices adjustable laterally in front of the rolls and positioned todirect a ribbon downwardly against the upper roll and a device having anedge concentric with the upper roll and adapted to engage a ribbonthereon in front of the point of contact with the ink roll.

11. In an inking machine the combinathe frame located in front of thefirst menguide fingers supported on s id rods and nuts on the threadedrod, one carrying each of said fingers, for ad usting sald fingersrelatively to each other and longitudmally of said rods, a pair ofcooperating rollers between which the ribbon passes after leaving theguide and means for supplying inking material to one of the rollers.

13. In a ribbon inking machine, the combination with a pair of rollersone of which is divided and movable bodily with respect to the other, ofan. ink holding tray connected to and movable with said bodily movableroller, and supplying ink thereto, a partition independent of the trayextending therefrom between the portions of the divided roller, meansfor guiding aribbon between said rollers, means for supporting themovably mounted roller in position to hold.

the ribbon in contact with the other roller and means for rotating saidrollers.

14; A ribbon inking machine comprising upper and lower rolls, the latterbeing formed of adjacently mounted sections provided with grooves upontheir inner faces, washers positioned in said grooves, a partitionbetween said washers, means for adjusting the partition transversely ofthe rolls, means for supplying ink to the lower roll and means foractuating said rolls.

15. A ribbon inking machine comprising upper and lower rolls, the latterbeing formed of adjacently mounted sections, washers positioned upon theinner faces of the sections, a partition between said washers, means foradjusting the partition transversely of the sections, means forsupplying ink to the lower roll and means for actuating said rolls.

16. In a ribbon inking machine, the combination with an upper roller, alower di-.

. tending from the latter between the portions of the divided roller.

17. In a ribbon inking machine, the combination with "a frame, a pair ofrollers journaled thereon one of which is divided and movable relativelyto the other and an ink tray adjustable with the movable roller, of apartition supported on the frame indepen ently of said movable parts andextendin from the tray between the parts of the movable roller.

18. In a ribbon inking machine, the combination with an upper roller, alower divided roller movable toward and from. the upper roller,of apartition located between the portions of the lower roller and means foradjusting the partition relatively to the upper roller and supporting itindependently of the lower roller.

19. In a ribbon inking machine, the combination with a frame, an upperrollerjournaled thereon and a lower two part pressure roller guided formovement toward and from the upper roller, of .a partition fittedbetween the parts of the lower roller and devices for adjustablysupporting it on the I frame for moving said partition relatively towardand from the upper roller. CHARLES E. ARCHBALD.

Witnesses:

MARY A. MOELROY, HAZEL I. THOMAS.

